Book 1A Chapter 3

(page 3.3 - 3.13)

Algebraic Language
Using Letters to Represent Unknown Values

We can use symbols or

letters (e.g. x, y, z) to
represent unknown values.
Using Letters to Represent Unknown Values

Can you give us an example?

There are n sweets

n in the bag.
sweets
There are 4 bags of sweets.

n n n n
sweets sweets sweets sweets

4 bags contain 4n sweets.

There are 4 bags of sweets.

n n n n
sweets sweets sweets sweets

The expression ‘4n ’ is called

an algebraic expression.
There are 4 bags of sweets.

n n n n
sweets sweets sweets sweets

‘4n ’ represents ‘number of

sweets in the 4 bags’.
Algebraic Expressions

Expressions where numbers and letters are

connected by operation signs such as +, –, , 
and brackets are called algebraic expressions.

The following are examples of algebraic

expressions.

5a + A, 3(n – 2), 4xy, b  7 + r

Algebraic Expressions

Note that a and A can

represent different unknowns.

The following are examples of algebraic

expressions.

A 3(n – 2), 4xy, b  7 + r

5aa + A,
Operations and Notations in Algebra

Addition

In arithmetic In Algebra

Expression 2+4 a+b

(i) Add 4 to 2 (i) Add b to a
Word (ii) 2 plus 4 (ii) a plus b
phrase
(iii) The sum of 2 and 4 (iii) The sum of a and b
Subtraction

In arithmetic In Algebra

Expression 5–1 a–b

Word (i) Subtract 1 from 5 (i) Subtract b from a
phrase (ii) 5 minus 1 (ii) a minus b
 Multiplication

In arithmetic In Algebra

Expression 37 ab

(i) Multiply 3 by 7 (i) Multiply a by b
Word (ii) 3 times 7 (ii) a times b
phrase
(iii) The product of 3 and 7 (iii) The product of a and b
Division

In arithmetic In Algebra

Expression 93 ab

Word (i) Divide 9 by 3 (i) Divide a by b

phrase (ii) 9 is divided by 3 (ii) a is divided by b
 Note the following about
the operations in Algebra.

a+b a+b=b+a

a–b a – b ≠ b – a in general  ‘≠’ means

‘not equal to’

ab ab=b
a
a÷b a ÷ b ≠ b ÷ a in general
 Note the following about
the operations in Algebra.

a+b a+b=b+a

a–b a – b ≠ b – a in general  ‘≠’ means

‘not equal to’

ab a  b can also be written as ab or

ab
a
a÷b a ÷ b can also be written as b
More points about multiplication

ab = a  b but 31 = 3  10 + 1

ab 5  y and y  5 are written as 5y, not

y5.
1z is usually written as z.
 The order of algebraic
expressions is the same as
that of arithmetic operations.

Compute the expression

Perform multiplication first. inside the bracket first.

(i) 5 – 3  a = 5 – 3a (ii) (5 – 3)  a = 2  a = 2a

Perform division first. Compute the expression

inside the bracket first.

2 3
(iii) 1 + 2 ÷ b = 1 + (iv) (1 + 2) ÷ b = 3 ÷ b =
b b
Follow-up Question

Simplify the following expressions.

(a) m  2 – 1 (b) u + 4  w
(c) (3 – b)  2 (d) p  r  q

(a) m  2 – 1 (b) u + 4  w
= 2m – 1 = u + 4w

(c) (3 – b)  2
(d) p  r  q
3–b pq
= =
2 r
Index Notation

When a number is multiplied

by itself more than one time,
we can use index notation to
represent the product.

e.g. 73 = 7  7  7
Index notation 3 times

9n = 9  9  ...  9
n times
 index
or
exponent

b =bbbb
n

base n times

b  b  b    b is called
the expanded form of bn.
 How to read a2, a3 and an ?

a2 : the square of a
(or a to the power 2)
a3 : the cube of a
(or a to the power 3)
an : the nth power of a
(or a to the power n)
Follow-up Question

Use index notation to represent the following

expressions.
(a) k  k  k = k 3
(b) r  r  r … r = r 8
8 times
(c) a  a  a … a = a m
m times
 We can use algebraic expressions
to represent word phrases.

Subtract 9 from x x–9

The product of a and

ab2
the square of b
b2
z 1
Divide the sum of z and 1 by x x
z+1
 We can also use word phrases to
represent algebraic expressions.

Subtract 9 from x x–9

The product of a and

ab2
the square of b
b2
z 1
Divide the sum of z and 1 by x x
z+1
Follow-up Questions

1. Represent the following word phrases by

algebraic expressions.
(a) Multiply x by y and then subtract 10 from
the product.
xy – 10
_____________
(b) Divide the square of p by the sum of p and q.
p2
p q
_____________
Follow-up Questions

2. Express the following algebraic expressions in

word phrases.
(a) 2(a + b)
Multiply 2 by the sum of a and b.
_________________________________

(b) m4
n
3
_________________________________
Divide the 4th power of m by 3 and then
_________________________________
subtract n from the result.
Consider the algebraic expressions below.

20 + 3x 4x + 5y – 3

2 terms 3 terms

Each of these algebraic

expressions is made up of terms.
Consider the algebraic expressions below.

20 + 3x 4x + 5y – 3

2 terms 3 terms

In Algebra, a term can be a number, an

unknown, or a number multiplied by
unknown(s) / power(s) of unknown(s).
 Terms with the same unknown to the
same power can be combined.

For example:
Addition Subtraction
2+3 6–4
(i) 2x + 3x = 5x (i) 6y – 4y = 2y

–6 + 4 2–5
(ii) –6x + 4x = –2x (ii) 2y – 5y = –3y
Simplify the expression 4a – b – 2a.

4a – b – 2a = 4a – 2a – b
= 2a – b

Simplify the expression 3x – y – 4x – 2y.

3x – y – 4x – 2y = 3x – 4x – y – 2y
= –x – 3y
Follow-up Question

Simplify the following expressions.

(a) 2a + 4a – a (b) x + x – y + 2x
(c) b + 5b  2 (d) 24s  6 – 3s

(a) 2a + 4a – a  2a + 4a – a = 2a + 4a – 1a = 5a

= 5a

(b) x + x – y + 2x
= x + x + 2x – y  x + x + 2x = 1x + 1x + 2x = 4x

= 4x – y
Follow-up Question

Simplify the following expressions.

(a) 2a + 4a – a (b) x + x – y + 2x
(c) b + 5b  2 (d) 24s  6 – 3s

(c) b + 5b  2
= b + 10b  5b  2 = (5  2)  b = 10b
=Always
11b perform multiplication
and division before addition
and 
(d) 24s 6 – 3s
subtraction.
= 4s – 3s  24s  6 = (24  6)s = 4s

=s
Simplify the expression 4  2  m  m  n  n  n.

We can simplify this

expression using
index notation.

42mmnnn
= (4  2)  (m  m)  (n  n 
n)
= 8  m2  n3
= 8m2n3
Follow-up Question
Simplify the following expressions using
index notation.
(a) 2  5  x  x
(b) a  a  a  b  b
(c) 4m  m  6m 3

(a) 2  5  x  x
= (2  5)  (x  x)
= 10x2
Follow-up Question
Simplify the following expressions using
index notation.
(a) 2  5  x  x
(b) a  a  a  b  b
(c) 4m  m  6m 3

(b) a  a  a  b  b
= (a  a  a )  (b  b)
= a3b2
Follow-up Question
Simplify the following expressions using
index notation.
(a) 2  5  x  x
(b) a  a  a  b  b
(c) 4m  m  6m 3

(c) 4m  m  6m  3
=4mm6m3
= (4  6  3)  (m  m  m)
= 8m3